Spring for locomotives



2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

(No Model.)

D. BROADHURST SPRING FOR LOCOMOTIVES. No. 380,548. Patented Apr. 3, 1888/ TVITA ESSES, INVENTOR, M6762 @9006. fi vr/M (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. BROADHURST.

SPRING FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

No. 380,548. Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

UNrrEo STATES.

PATENT Fries.

DANIEL BROADHURST, OF DUNll IORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,548, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed December 24, 1887. Serial No. 258,889. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL BROADHURST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dunmore, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving-Springs for Locomotives; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The locomotive driving-springs now in commen use are made up of steel plates,technically called leaves, of different lengths and uniform width and thickness, which are placed one on top of the other. In order that the separate plates of the spring may not slip out of place, they are inclosed or embraced by a band of metal at their center or middle portion. This band is puton at a red heat and becomes tight by contracting as it cools. The spring has nipple-holes drilled through its center and slots formed in the ends, the former having pins inserted in them to prevent the plates sliding endwise, and the latter being provided for the attachment of the upper ends of the springhangers. As is well known, the shocks which a locomotive experiences in running affects the wheels first,a-nd by them are transferred through the axle-boxes to the frame, the engine, and the boiler, and the greater the speed the greater the shocks, rendering the most perfect arrangement of springs necessary, as well as great care in their manufacture.

In the common method of construction above described the springs are weakened at their centers, first by drilling the nipple-holes and then by wrapping them with a redhot band, thus affecting the temper of the metal and injuriously affecting the elasticity of the spring,whilethe slots in the ends of the spring, to which the hangers are attached, are subject to great strain and wear by reason of the movement of the hangers therein. Besides these objectionable features, in the event of the breakage of one of the leaves great difficulty and expense are experienced in replacing the broken leaf,as the whole spring must be taken apart to accomplish it.

Now, my invention has for its object to obviate the above-named objectionable features and provide a simple, durable, and comparatively inexpensive spring, the leaves of which may be replaced in case of necessity by any ordinary mechanic without the assistance of a spring-maker; and it consists of the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved spring; Fig. 2, a like view with one of the side plates removed; Fig. 3, a perspective view of oneof the wings; Fig. 4, a perspective view of one of the side plates; Fig. 5, a perspective view of the standard, and Fig. 6 a perspective view of the archplate.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throu gh out the several views.

A represents the leaves of my improved spring, inclosed in a housing or frame consisting of the metallic side plates, 13, and the metallic arch or crown plate 0, the spring being bent over the enlarged rounded head a. of a metal standard, D, the lower end of which is also enlarged, as at b, and rests on the frame of the locomotive, being secured thereto in any desired manner immediately above the driving-axles, so as to support the spring and its frame rigidly in place.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the plates B are formed or cast with side flanges, c, and perforations d, the former being for the purpose of holding the spring in position and the latter for the reception of the bolts to hold the plates together. The flanges do not meet when the plates are in position, but are sufiiciently far apart to permit the free passage of the bodies of the wings between the same. The flanges do not extend to the bottom of the plates, but terminate a short distance above, so that the enlarged lower ends, Z, of the wings may freely enter and press on the ends of the spring when the device is in operation.

Beneath the upper perforations, d, opeuin gs f are formed in the plates on each side, and in these openings are fitted the trunnions or short shafts h of the wings B, so that the same may move easily in and out. These wings, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, are provided with hubs i for the shafts h, and at their lower ends are somewhat enlarged, as at Z, while their upper ends are formed with slots m, for the reception of the upper ends of the spring-hangers F. The standard D is secured at the center of the frame between the plates thereof by means of bolts a, passing through the plates and standard, and is about as wide as the crown-plate 0,01 slightly wider than the width of the spring, so that the plates 13 are kept sufficiently far apart to permitthe free movement of the spring between them. The spring is made up of the usual number of leaves of any desired size and strength, and is bent over the standard D beneath the crown-plate, so that the longest leaf is on the outside. Against the lower ends of the spring the enlarged ends I of the wings work to transmit the shocks to the spring, the hangers being attached to the axle-boxing in the usual manner.

If desired, friction-rollers may be attached to the lower ends, Z, of the wings, so as to work on the springs and take up the friction.

It will be readily understood that in case of the breakage ofone of the leaves of the spring one of the side plates, B, may be removed and anew leaf substituted without taking the entire frame oft'the engine. If desired, the springframe may be formed integral with the frame of the engine.

From the above description it will be seen that the shocks are not transferred directly to the spring,but through the medium ofthe wings E, thus preventing the wear of the ends of the spring, while I do away entirely with the redhot center band and retain the leaves in place without weakening them by nipple-holes.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- I 1. The combination, in a locomotive driving-spring, of the arched plates, the standard D, having the enlarged lower end, the side plates, B, the spring bent over said standard, and the pivoted wings adapted to press against the ends of said spring, substantially as described.

2. Alocomotivespring consisting of a frame rigidly secured to the locomotive, the standard having the enlarged upper end, a spring bent over said standard and having its free ends extending downward, and the wings pivoted in said frame and adapted to receive the upper ends of the spring-hangers and press against said free ends of the spring, substantially as described.

3. A locomotive driving-spring consisting of a frame or housing, a supportingstandard,

a spring bent over said standard, and wings pivoted to said housing and adapted to press against the ends of said spring, and carrying at their outer ends the spring-hangers, substantially as described.

4. A driving-spring for locom0tives,consisting of a housing having flanges formed on its interior adjacent side plates, a support for the middle portion of the spring, a spring bent over said supp0rt,and wings pivotally attached to said housing and having enlarged lower ends and slotted upper ends, substantially as set forth.

. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL BROADHURST.

Witnesses:

LOUIS L. Zurrn, G. W. KEAR. 

